AgricultureID

Country agriculture profile · Latin America & Caribbean

Mexico

Mexico combines a dualistic farm structure: rainfed smallholder maize and bean cultivation, rooted in Mesoamerican milpa traditions, alongside highly commercial irrigated grain and export-horticulture systems in the northwest. It is a leading exporter of fresh produce — including tomato, chilli, avocado, and berries — while remaining a major importer of feed grain. Coffee, sugarcane, and tropical crops anchor the wetter south, and extensive cattle ranching dominates the arid north.

Stable overview + dated statisticsUpdated: 2026-07-12

Farming systems (stable overview)

Climate zones

  • Arid and semi-arid (north)
  • Tropical wet (south and Gulf)
  • Tropical savanna
  • Subtropical highland (central plateau)

Agroecological zones

  • Northwest irrigation districts (Sinaloa, Sonora)
  • Central highland plateau (Bajío)
  • Gulf and southern tropical lowlands
  • Southern highlands (Chiapas, Oaxaca)

Dominant crop systems

  • Rainfed smallholder maize–bean (milpa) systems
  • Irrigated wheat, maize, and horticulture in the northwest
  • Export horticulture — tomato, chilli, berries, and avocado
  • Coffee and sugarcane in the tropical south

Major livestock systems

  • Extensive beef cattle ranching in the arid north
  • Backyard and intensive confined poultry
  • Dairy in the central highlands and north
  • Smallholder pigs and small ruminants

Irrigation: Irrigation is decisive for the commercial north and northwest, where large public irrigation districts support wheat and horticulture, while much of the centre and south remains rainfed and rainfall-variable.

Latest verified data

Each value is the most recent available observation, shown with its own year and unit. Figures are periodically revised — treat them as dated, sourced statistics, not evergreen facts.

Latest available agricultural indicators, with year and unit
IndicatorValueUnitYear
Agricultural land50.69% of land area2023
Arable land10.3% of land area2023
Cereal yield4,262.2kg per hectare2023
Cereal production37,015,878.83metric tons2023
Agriculture value added3.87% of GDP2024
Employment in agriculture(est.)11.61% of total employment2024
Irrigated agricultural land6.58% of agricultural land2023
Rural population20.25% of total population2024

Source: World Bank Open Data (World Development Indicators) (opens in a new tab) · dataset version 2026-07-01 · retrieved 2026-07-12

Commodity market data

7,815 official observations across 55 commodities. Figures are shown on each commodity page with the unit, status and release its source published.

Commodities with official market series for this country
CommodityMetrics recorded
AlmondsArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
AvocadosArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value
BananasArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
Barley GrainArea harvested, Production, Yield, Beginning stocks, Domestic use, Ending stocks, Feed use, Imports, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Import value
Black PeppercornsArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
Cashew NutsArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price
Cassava RootsArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price
ChickpeasArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value
Cocoa BeansArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
Cotton LintProduction, Beginning stocks, Ending stocks, Exports, Imports, Index value, Export value, Import value
CottonseedProduction, Beginning stocks, Domestic use, Ending stocks, Exports, Imports, Index value, Export value, Import value
CucumbersArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value
DatesArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
Dried ChilliesArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
Dried Tobacco LeafArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
Dry BeansArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
Dry Bulb OnionsArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
Dry PeasArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
FlaxseedArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
Fresh ApplesArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
Fresh BlueberriesArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price
Fresh OrangesArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
Fresh PineapplesArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
Fresh StrawberriesArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
Fresh SweetcornArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price
Fresh TomatoesArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
Green CoffeeArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
GroundnutsArea harvested, Production, Yield, Beginning stocks, Domestic use, Ending stocks, Exports, Imports, Index value, Producer price, Export value, Import value
Head CabbageArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
Hen EggsProduction, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
LentilsArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
Maize GrainArea harvested, Production, Yield, Beginning stocks, Domestic use, Ending stocks, Exports, Feed use, Imports, Index value, Producer price, Export value, Import value
Milled RiceBeginning stocks, Domestic use, Ending stocks, Exports, Imports, Export value, Import value
Millet GrainArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Imports, Import value
Oat GrainArea harvested, Production, Yield, Beginning stocks, Domestic use, Ending stocks, Feed use, Imports, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Import value
PistachiosArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
RapeseedArea harvested, Production, Yield, Beginning stocks, Domestic use, Ending stocks, Exports, Imports, Index value, Producer price, Import value
Raw Cow MilkProduction, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
Raw WoolProduction, Index value, Producer price
Rice PaddyArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Imports, Import value
Rye GrainArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price
Safflower SeedArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price
Sesame SeedArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
Sorghum GrainArea harvested, Production, Yield, Beginning stocks, Domestic use, Ending stocks, Exports, Feed use, Imports, Index value, Producer price, Export value, Import value
SoybeansArea harvested, Production, Yield, Beginning stocks, Domestic use, Ending stocks, Exports, Imports, Index value, Producer price, Export value, Import value
Sugar BeetArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value
SugarcaneArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price
Sunflower SeedArea harvested, Production, Yield, Beginning stocks, Domestic use, Ending stocks, Exports, Imports, Index value, Producer price, Export value, Import value
Sweet PotatoesArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
Tea LeafIndex value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
Triticale GrainArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price
Vanilla BeansArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
WalnutsArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
Ware PotatoesArea harvested, Production, Yield, Index value, Producer price, Exports, Export value, Imports, Import value
Wheat GrainArea harvested, Production, Yield, Beginning stocks, Domestic use, Ending stocks, Exports, Feed use, Imports, Index value, Producer price, Export value, Import value

How these figures are recorded

Cereal yield over time

201220182023
Mexico — Cereal yield (kg per hectare). Bars start at zero.
Show data table
Mexico — Cereal yield in kg per hectare by year
Yearkg per hectare
20123,453.4
20133,386.9
20143,581.9
20153,470.1
20163,748.8
20173,799.7
20183,826.3
20193,992.4
20203,806.5
20213,878.9
20223,950.2
20234,262.2

Source: World Bank Open Data (World Development Indicators) (opens in a new tab) · dataset version 2026-07-01 · retrieved 2026-07-12

Derived indicator

Arable land as a share of agricultural land: 20.3 % of agricultural land (2023)

Derived value — formula arable-share-of-agricultural-land v1.0.0 (calc v1). Inputs: AG.LND.ARBL.ZS (10.3) ÷ AG.LND.AGRI.ZS (50.7). A derived ratio, not an observed statistic. Sensitive to rounding and to differing revision cycles of the two source series; omit rather than extrapolate when a common year is unavailable.

Documented crops & livestock

Agricultural institutions

  • Secretaría de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural (SADER) — Federal ministry of agriculture and rural development.
  • Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP) — National institute for forestry, crop, and livestock research.
  • International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) — CGIAR maize and wheat research center, headquartered near Mexico City.

Data coverage & limitations

Covered by the World Bank WDI snapshots for land, production, yield, economy, inputs, and environment indicators.

What AgricultureID has indexed for Mexico
LayerStatusWhat is held
Agricultural authoritiesNot yet indexed—
Official registriesNot yet indexed—
Compliance requirementsNot yet indexed—
Support programmesNot yet indexed—
Biosecurity listingsNot yet indexed—
Variety registrationsNot yet indexed—
Input authorisationsNot yet indexed—
Extension resourcesNot yet indexed—
Market statisticsCovered527 records
Soil survey observationsNot yet indexed—
Border requirementsNot yet indexed—
Farm economics figuresNot yet indexed—
Climate, drought and water valuesCovered49 records

This page describes what AgricultureID has indexed, not what exists. A layer shown as not yet indexed means nobody has looked, and never that the thing is absent in that country. How coverage is worked out.

  • Statistics are dated, versioned, and periodically revised; always read them with their year and dataset version.
  • National statistical definitions (of agricultural land, farm, and employment) differ from those of other countries, limiting strict cross-country comparison.
  • National aggregates mask a sharp divide between commercial irrigated agriculture and rainfed subsistence farming.

Sources

This article draws on the following authoritative sources. See our sources & methodology for how they are selected.

  1. [1]World Bank Open Data — World Development Indicators (opens in a new tab)

    World Bank

    Authoritative

    Cited for: Agricultural statistics (WDI)

    Type:
    Intergovernmental organization
    Jurisdiction:
    Global
    Accessed:
    2026-07-12
  2. [2]FAO — Food and Agriculture Organization (opens in a new tab)

    Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

    Authoritative

    Cited for: Global production and food-systems context

    Type:
    Intergovernmental organization
    Jurisdiction:
    Global
    Accessed:
    2026-07-12
  3. [3]FAOSTAT — FAO statistical database (opens in a new tab)

    Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

    Authoritative

    Cited for: Production, area, and trade statistics

    Type:
    Intergovernmental organization
    Jurisdiction:
    Global
    Accessed:
    2026-07-12
  4. [4]USDA FAS — Foreign Agricultural Service (opens in a new tab)

    USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)

    Authoritative

    Cited for: Horticultural and grain trade estimates

    Type:
    Government agency
    Jurisdiction:
    Global (U.S. perspective)
    Accessed:
    2026-07-12